1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for both routing and dissipating electrical energy, and more particularly to improving the routing and dissipation of electrical energy received by elements as a result from a lightning strike to a surface that is connected to the elements.
2. Background
The ability to effectively deal with lightning strikes on composite materials that form structural panels for wings, fuselages, fuel tanks, and other components of an aircraft structure is an important consideration for the safety of an aircraft and other means of transportation. Composite materials are highly desirable for structural components due to lower mass, while possessing high structural rigidity and high strength. However, composite materials are not highly conductive and cannot readily dissipate the energy from a lightning strike as efficiently as traditional metal body components used with many conventional aircraft.
Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) is one type of composite material used for spar and rib installations. A CFRP structure is about 2000 times more resistive than most metals and consequently CFRP is more prone to spark events when subjected to currents from lightning strikes, especially at interfaces and fasteners. In flammable regions the spark events can trigger catastrophic explosions.
Current methods used to prevent lightning currents from entering flammable regions in aircraft, through systems mounted in flammable vapor boundaries employ bonding wires, straps or dielectric isolators. Improvements over these methods are desirable for providing spark free performance (for example, by minimizing discontinuities in the form of gaps and material interfaces), improved flight performance (for example, by reducing the weight of system spar and rib mount assemblies), and CFRP integration performance.
Therefore, what is desired is a system that can discharge current away from a composite material when lightning strikes.